Turner gets nod from Tregoning to saddle up for Derby

While Turner plundered two Group Ones last term, landing the July Cup on Dream Ahead and the Nunthorpe on Margot Did, she has yet to line up in the premier Classic.

However, Turner will break new ground when she is given the leg up aboard Marcus Tregoning’s charge next weekend.

Her commercial agent Jonathan Spence tweeted: “Hayley Turner will ride the Marcus Tregoning-trained Cavaleiro in the 2012 Investec Derby at Epsom Downs on 2 June.”

Alex Greaves is the only woman to have previously ridden in the Derby, finishing last on Portuguese Lil in 1996, but Turner’s mount would appear to hold far stronger claims.

The son of Tregoning’s Derby winner Sir Percy won a Chepstow maiden under the jockey before picking up a conditions event at Newbury.

He was third to Main Sequence on his comeback in the Lingfield Derby Trial.

“I just got a call from Mr Tregoning and he said I could ride the horse for Mr Guy Brooks in the Derby, so that was very kind of him,” Turner said. “I won on him and then he won the Haynes, Hanson & Clark for Richard Mullen when I was off injured. He ran a good race around Lingfield on the all-weather, which probably wasn’t ideal, and it’s really nice to have a ride in the race.

“I think he’s the sort of horse that will suit the course, he’s quite a strong traveller and I think things didn’t fall right for him at all in his Derby Trial and you’d want to put a line through that one. I suppose for any jockey it’s nice to have a ride in the Derby, male or female, so obviously I’m thrilled.

“I’m chuffed with it. I don’t hide my enthusiasm about the whole thing at all.”

Marco Botti has booked Joseph O’Brien for Law Of The Range in TRI Equestrian Stakes at the Curragh on Saturday.

The five-year-old mare enjoyed a great campaign last season, winning three on the bounce, including a Listed race at Pontefract.

She returned this time around with a good run at Kempton, when denied by the narrowest of margins in the Snowdrop Stakes, but put up a rare bad run last time out at Newmarket in the Dahlia Stakes.